History of Concord's Colonial Inn
Located on Concord’s town common, the Colonial Inn has stood witness
to history for nearly three centuries. The Inn’s main building was
constructed as a private residence by the Minot family in 1716.

During the period of unrest leading up to the American Revolution,
one of the inn’s original buildings was used as a storehouse for
arms and provisions for the town’s militia. During the battle of
Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, the British Army was
confronted by local militiamen at the nearby North Bridge and
America’s War of Independence had begun.

A century later, parts of the inn were used as a variety store and
served as the town’s center of commerce. The Thoreau family took up
residence in the house and Henry David Thoreau lived there while
attending Harvard College. Later, the home served as a boarding
house, then as a small hotel known as the Thoreau House.

By 1900, the Inn was operating as Concord’s Colonial Inn and has
since welcomed a diverse array of notable guests during the past
century, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Shirley Temple, Bruce
Springsteen and Queen Noor of Jordan.

Ghosts of Concord and the Colonial Inn

The spirit of the past is vibrantly alive in the village of Concord.
It was from here the local farmers and militiamen mustered to meet
the advancing British troops on that fateful April day in 1775.
Although perhaps most famous for its pivotal role in securing
America’s independence, the town was later the epicenter of
philosophy, literature and progressive thought in the mid-19th
century. It was not uncommon to see the spirits of Ralph Waldo
Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott and Henry David
Thoreau strolling through town.

Today, visitors enjoy the town’s rich history, colonial architecture
and abundance of book stores, antique shops and quaint cafes. The
Colonial Inn has been an integral part of Concord’s history and
continues to delight visitors with its authentic charm, warm
hospitality and an occasional visit from visitor long ago.

Guestroom 24 in the Main Inn is famous for ghost sightings of a
woman with long braids floating throughout the room.

Story of the Ghost in Room 24
In 1966, M.P. and Judith Fellenz of Highland Falls, New York,
registered at Concord's Colonial Inn and were given Room 24 on the
second floor. The newlywed couple was looking forward to their stay
in our quaint New England Inn. The next morning, however, the bride
looked rather pale. About two weeks later, Loring Grimes, the
Innkeeper at the time, received a letter from Mrs. Fellenz. It read
in part:

"I have always prided myself on being a fairly sane individual but
on the night of June 14 I began to have my doubts. On that night I
saw a ghost in your Inn. The next morning I felt too foolish to
mention it to the management, so my husband and I continued on our
honeymoon. I wondered whether or not any sightings of a ghost had
been reported or if any history of one was involved in the history
of the Inn.

The incident sounds very melodramatic. I was awakened in the middle
of the night by a presence in the room—a feeling that some unknown
being was in the midst. As I opened my eyes, I saw a grayish figure
at the side of my bed, to the left, about four feet away. It was not
a distinct person, but a shadowy mass in the shape of a standing
figure. It remained still for a moment, then slowly floated to the
foot of the bed, in front of the fireplace. After pausing a few
seconds, the apparition slowly melted away. It was a terrifying
experience. I was so frightened I could not scream. I was frozen to
the spot . . .

For the remainder of the night, I could not fall asleep. It was
spent trying to conjure a logical explanation for the apparition. It
was not a reflection of the moon as all the curtains were completely
closed. Upon relating the incident to my husband, he said the ghost
was included in the price of the room."

If you'd like a haunted room in our Inn, ask for Room 24. Paranormal
activity has been investigated in other areas of the hotel as well.
In early 2005, two organizations investigated at Concord's Colonial
Inn: Ghost Images Paranormal Investigations and Spirit Encounters
Research Team. Most recently Syfy's hit show Ghost Hunters did an
hour-long episode on the Inn to explore paranormal experiences.